


To The Ocean

by sanguisuga



Category: BBC Sherlock, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Established Mystrade, M/M, Mystrade is Magic, Ocean Vacation, Orkney Islands, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Supernatural Elements, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:59:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24986452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanguisuga/pseuds/sanguisuga
Summary: Greg loves the ocean. On their first well-deserved holiday together, Mycroft finds out why.
Relationships: Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Comments: 13
Kudos: 75
Collections: Mystrade Is Magic





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaking in under the wire to make sure this posts to the Mystrade is Magic collection - thank you for setting it up, Paia!
> 
> Not sure how far this one will go, but I'm liking the direction so far, so let's go on an adventure together!
> 
> As always - comments are greatly appreciated! ;-)

Greg loved the ocean. This was something that Mycroft knew well, having seen the numerous photos of such in Greg’s flat, arranged all up and down the corridor leading to his bedroom. He also had several caches of interesting items secreted all over his flat, random bits and bobs that had clearly been birthed from the water, sea glass and driftwood and even small fossils that had been beaten smooth by the waves. 

Mycroft had once found himself seated on Greg’s sofa, picking seashells out of a large glass bowl on the coffee table. He had perused each carefully before setting it aside and moving onto the next, pondering their significance. None seemed to be whole specimens - most were broken or somehow damaged, with tiny holes drilled into the surface. Near the bottom were a number of sea dollars, and Mycroft shook each gently to listen to the faint rattle within. 

Smiling softly, he returned each to its place, only becoming aware of Greg watching silently once his task was complete. He glanced up as Greg slipped smoothly into the room, carrying in the meal that he had been cooking while Mycroft had been preoccupied with his examination. He set down the plates and sat down on the sofa, close enough that Mycroft could feel the faint corona of his body heat. 

Greg shrugged as he smiled crookedly, his eyes soft as he looked at his treasures. “I just think they’re neat, y’know?”

Years later, Mycroft would look back to this moment as his great realisation. Of course he had been in love with Greg for a long time, but it was at this moment that he truly acknowledged that fact to himself. A strange tightening in his chest, a sudden swirling dip in his brain that he vaguely registered as an odd vertigo. If he had been standing, he most likely would have stumbled. Instead, he leant into Greg’s warmth, pressing a soft kiss to a bristly cheek in exchange for a plateful of pasta. 

So naturally, their first real holiday together was taken at seaside. They’d had the occasional long weekend together at what Mycroft called his country ‘cottage’ - something that Greg had teased him about almost mercilessly when they had pulled up to the manor house for the first time. They had been seeing each other for nearly a year before being able to clear their calendars for an entire fortnight, despite the backlog of personal time owed to both.

Ostensibly, Greg left the planning of such entirely up to Mycroft, although his subconscious preferences were definitely taken into account. The brochures that Mycroft had left lying about had all been gathered to one spot, helpfully arranged in order of preference. He had guessed that Greg would prefer a more rugged location, as most of his photos were of rocky, almost forbidding shores. But seeing the fliers with the clear tropical sea and white sugar-sand beaches getting pushed to the bottom of the pile just confirmed it for him. 

And so he chose a rather secluded spot in the Orkneys, with a surprise that he hoped Greg would appreciate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've scraped up some motivation, and thought I'd post a bit to help get this story going again. (This one is tiny, so I'm immediately posting another chapter directly after.)
> 
> Please do comment if you are so inclined!
> 
> ~xo~

Mycroft smiled softly as Greg looked at him from over his glasses, his lips pursed in thought. 

“Y’know, we’ve only got about a fortnight til our holiday, and I still have no idea where we’re even going.”

Mycroft’s smile sliced into a grin. “Does it matter, as long as we’re together?”

Greg huffed with combined amusement and censure in equal measure. “Well, I do have to know what to _pack_ , you silly man.”

Mycroft held up a finger as he stood from the sofa, heading down the hall to Greg’s room. The parcel was neatly tucked away in his overnight bag, and he fiddled with the ribbon as he headed back out into the sitting room. 

He handed it over with a quirk of his brow. “Perhaps this will give you a clue.”

Greg giggled with delight as he ripped the paper off, as giddy as a child at Christmas. His mouth fell open as the jumper unfolded in his hands, a thick Aran knit in natural black wool. He held it to his nose briefly, inhaling the scent of the lanolin. “This is gorgeous, Croft.”

Mycroft licked his lips as he tried to shrug nonchalantly. “Perhaps you should try it on?”

Greg grinned and stood, stripping down to his vest before slipping the jumper over his head. He ran his fingers down his torso as Mycroft stepped closer, reaching up to tame his hair. “Mm, cosy.” He tilted his head as Mycroft continued to fuss with his hair and the collar of the jumper, his fingers in nearly constant motion. “So, somewhere a bit chilly. Perhaps windy?”

Mycroft hummed noncommittally. 

“North?”

“Perhaps a bit, yes.” 

Greg pulled him in closer and ghosted a kiss over his lips, leaning up to lightly tap their noses together. “Perfect.”


	3. Chapter 3

The flight was interminable, made only marginally better by virtue of the first-class seats that Mycroft had procured for them. Although already fatigued by the arduous process of getting through security and settling into their seats, both of the men were a little too excited about the prospect of an entire fortnight together to immediately lean their seats back for a nap. Greg skimmed through one of the several paperbacks that he had brought along, giving Mycroft’s open laptop a decidedly frosty side-eye.

Mycroft bit back his laughter. “Just tidying up some loose threads, my dear. I promise you that this infernal machine will be tucked away once we arrive.”

Greg grumbled soundlessly and turned his attention to the view instead. Mycroft smiled softly as his lover’s breathing changed tempo, slowing and deepening as he slumped a bit lower in his seat. Reaching over, he pulled the window shade down and took the liberty of reclining Greg’s seat for him. 

They were both a bit logy as they disembarked, stumbling through the concourse until they found the car rental kiosk. Once again, Mycroft’s status as a VIP traveller served them very well indeed, and they were afforded an upgrade at no additional cost. Not that they actually required a Land Rover, but why not take advantage?

They revived a bit as they drove, Mycroft at the wheel and Greg helping to navigate via the GPS. He turned a questioning eyebrow on Mycroft as they pulled up to a small harbour, but did not hesitate to exit the vehicle and stick his nose in the air, breathing in the scent of the ocean. His grin nearly threatened to knock Mycroft to the ground with its brilliance, but he just managed to shake off his infatuation. 

“Come. Help me with the luggage.”

Again there was the eyebrow, but Greg dutifully swung his knapsack over his shoulder and took hold of whatever Mycroft passed over to him. 

He preceded Greg down a somewhat rickety ramp, scanning ahead for the  _ Maighdeann-Mhara _ . A rather weather-beaten old man intercepted them at the second-to-last boat, waving them aboard.

"Holmes, is it?"

Mycroft nodded curtly, eyeing the medium-sized motorboat dubiously. Greg chuckled from behind him, gently nudging him aside and clambering aboard as though he were an old hand. Mycroft watched him stash the luggage before taking the chivalrous hand that was held out to him, feeling a bit of a fool as he delicately stepped aboard. The old gentleman took Greg aside as he was clearly the more seaworthy individual, pointing out various gauges and such. Greg took it all in his stride, but as he asked no questions it was clear that he was quite comfortable with the handling of such a vehicle.

With a hearty handshake to both of them, the old man went on his merry way, his pockets just a bit heavier with the tip that Mycroft had slipped to him. Greg grinned as he hit the ignition, pulling out of the harbour with ease.

"What's our heading, love?"

Mycroft blinked and pulled up the instructions that he had been given when he booked the trip. Greg nodded and nudged the wheel just a bit, heading northwest. Mycroft stumbled slightly as the boat kicked up in speed, reaching out to grab hold of Greg's arm. He tried to mimic his posture, somehow straight and tall even as his knees were bent to offset the rolling of the ocean. He moved with it as easily as breathing, and Mycroft knew then that Greg not only loved the ocean - he understood it, and had a deep respect for it.

He felt more than heard Greg's small gasp as their destination came into view, and couldn't hold back on his answering grin, as Greg's glee was far too infectious to resist.

Mycroft giggled in delight as Greg leant into him for a quick buss on the cheek. "You wonderful, mad bastard."

The boat slowed as they came closer, and Greg expertly nudged it toward the landing, sliding into place with barely a bump. He tied it off and helped Mycroft to disembark before handing off the luggage and hopping out himself. With a wild grin and a breathless laugh, Greg tugged Mycroft in close and snogged all the air out of him. Mycroft reeled silently as he was released, willingly stumbling along in Greg's wake as he rushed down the dock toward the tantalising strip of sand in the near distance. 

It wasn't much of a beach, not really. Just a little curve of an inlet, a sheltered cove surrounded by tall rocks. Off to the right they could see the mainland, but they knew that absolutely nobody could see them. Greg pulled Mycroft into another embrace, lifting him clear off his feet as he swung him around. They stood back and looked up the cliff face, to the little lighthouse standing proudly at the edge. 

"This is - incredible." Mycroft was slightly alarmed to see tears in the corners of Greg's eyes, but they were overshadowed by the joy he also saw reflected there. Greg glanced around conspiratorially. "Are we the only ones here?"

Mycroft nodded. "Yes. I made sure that we would have this entire island to ourselves for the fortnight."

"Good." Greg's smile turned dirty as he chivvied Mycroft back toward a very convenient rock, propping him up against it before dropping to his knees in front of him. 

"Oh Lord."

Greg chuckled as his fingers fumbled at the catch of Mycroft's trousers, clumsy in his haste. "This is just the first, love. I am going to find all kinds of new and filthy ways to thank you for this."

Mycroft bit his lip to hold back any denials, running his fingers through Greg's hair as he eagerly got his mouth around him. Mycroft quickly got lost in the play of the fading light on his lover's silver hair, gleaming gold as he worked his wicked magic upon him. It was over almost embarrassingly quickly, either because Mycroft hadn't had the opportunity to fortify his resistance, or because of Greg's unabashed enthusiasm. Either way, his head was still reeling as he pulled Greg to his feet and then pulled him off in just a few swift strokes.

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta'd or brit-picked. Characters not mine, but the situation definitely is!
> 
> If you'd like to get notifications and miscellany from tumblr, I'm at 'bitemebat.tumblr.com'. My activity there has slowed considerably since the Great Purge, but I also set up another tumblr just for notifications and other writerly stuff at 'sanguisugaao3.tumblr.com'.
> 
> I seem to be mostly active on twitter now, although the system confuses me and I really don't post much. But still, if you'd like to follow, I'm @sanguisugaao3 there!
> 
> (I'm also over on Pillowfort.io if anyone out there is giving them a shot - as 'sanguisuga'. Same handle on Dreamwidth, but I must confess that I don't do much on either site.)


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